About
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to experience freedom of flight then Virtual Gliding is a great start. We will provide key information to get you started in a gliding simulation environment which can also assist in a smoother transition to real gliding.
Simulators have become a cost effective and safe training platform. They are widely used in many industries. ie. Astronauts, commercial and domestic pilots, train drivers and earthmoving operators all train on simulators.
Gliding is no exception. We are fortunate to have Condor Soaring simulator for its leading standard in weather modeling simulation. Weather is mostly invisible and It’s what you can’t see that attracts new glider pilots and the best “real world” pilots to Condor Soaring Simulator.
Virtual gliding is a fun, safe and relaxing way for anyone to experience a truly free form of flight. In addition to this, you will gain a better understanding of soaring flight which will assist in an easier transition to real gliding activities.
The advantages of gliding in a simulation enviroment include;
- Increase your knowledge and skills in a safe environment.
- Experience soaring flight throughout different areas of the world without the cost of real gliding.
- Utilise high resolution (photo-realistic) sceneries from many popular regions around the world.
- Connect and learn to use the same instruments you take with you in your real glider.
- Test your racing skills against other competitors, locally and on the world stage.
- Dramatically improve glider flight instruction by utilising tandem gliders. (Two pilots in the same glider)
- Great training tool for all levels of skill
- Experience cross-country soaring in realistic weather condition modelling.
- Use thermal helpers to aid in the understanding of a complete thermal cycle.
- Excellent ridge and wave lift opportunities.
- There is no need worrying about landing out or crashing.
- Choose from a wide variety of popular gliders all of which have accurate flight characteristics.
- Realistic winch and aerotow glider launching.
- Virtual gliding can even fit into your day-to-day lifestyle. Fly after work, at night or on a rainy day.
How To Fly
Here is a great video from JOYPLANES.
It gives a basic explanation of how a glider works including the aerodynamic features of a glider.
See how a glider pilot can take advantage of our moving atmosphere which allows the pilot to travel long distances without a motor.
Virtual Gliding Demo
Hardware for Condor3
Computer Specification and Operating System
All you need to get started with Condor is a decent computer with a good display and graphics card. It doesn’t have to be an expensive gaming rig. To install and run Condor 3 you will need:
- Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11
- Intel or AMD processor with CPU benchmark for single thread rating of at least 1200.
- Find your rating at: cpubenchmark
- A dedicated graphics card with a minimum of 4 GB memory. We suggest the graphics card should have a benchmark score of 8000 or above.
- Integrated graphics cards and cards with benchmark result below 1000 are usable, but will severely reduce graphics settings:
- Find your rating at: videocardbenchmark
- Internet connection is required for activation.
- Be aware that some Windows 11 audio device drivers are not perfect
- Apple Mac: Run Windows 7, 8 or 10 in Bootcamp*, Parallels Version or Wine
The Condor3 requirements are also at - Install Requirements
Controllers and Devices
Joystick
A good quality joystick is the most popular choice for realistic and accurate control of the glider. Make sure it has a twist-grip for rudder operation but not required if you are planning on using separate rudder pedals. Some joysticks have force-feed-back feature which adds to your virtual gliding experience.
An alternative option is to use an Gamepad or XBox controller. This may lack the realistic feel and relation to a real glider but it’s whatever you are comfortable with and you can achieve smooth operation of your glider. All control functions can be configured to your liking in the program settings. More on this later.
You can even use a standard keyboard and mouse for all controls but not recommended. Below are some popular choices starting from our budget choice (Extreme 3D Pro).
- Logitech Extreme 3D PRO Joystick
Rudder Pedals
USB rudder pedals are a great option for pilots who wish to have a more realistic approach. Afterall, this is a gliding simulator and you may need them for practice in flying your real glider. Alternatively, you can choose to use Condor’s inbuilt auto-rudder coordination that works in conjunction with a twist-grip joystick for manual control on take-off and landing. Here are some popular choices:
Headset and Mic
A headset is something you wear therefore it needs to be comfortable and to perform its function well. We recommend being very fussy with your choice. Some points to consider:
- Make sure the headset cups around your ears are very comfortable and not too small.
- Bluetooth headsets are great but one with a plug in cord as backup or for troubleshooting is handy.
- Light weight and easily adjustable.
- Having a mic that mutes automatically when you swing it up out of the way is also handy.
- The mic needs to be of a good quality in order to be heard clearly.
Head Tracking - Optional
Many top pilots from around the world that fly Condor soaring simulator are very comfortable, and still use a standard hardware arrangement. PC, monitor, joystick, keyboard and mouse. It’s simple and it works. Anything else other than this is completely a personal choice.
Head tracking is not required but many users prefer to transition to one of these devices in order to be more immmersed in your gliding experience. When gliding in thermals and close proximity to other gliders its important to constantly scan all around you so to avoid collisions. Head tracking is more fluid and faster and takes away the need to have to push a button to look in a other directions.
TrackIR has been around for a long time now and uses an infrared camera and a special clip (both provided) that is attached to your headset in order to track your head movement. This setup is very accurate and doesn’t use your own webcam. You need to be able to block sunlight from coming into your virtual environment as it will prevent your camera from working properly.
Another method is to use a standard webcam and software to track your head movement but this can be less accurate.
The latest and most rapidly improving techology is VR goggles. When you weigh up the cost of VR goggles versus good quality monitors and head tracking equipment, VR is becoming a great cost-effective solution. Research is key here as there are many pro’s and con’s.
Be aware that motion sickness affects many pilots in real life and in a simulator using head tracking. There are ways to train your brain to eventually overcome the terrible effects of motion sickness by initially reducing all movement settings to a minimum. Try this for about 5-10 hours. If you feel ok then increase the movement settings ever so slightly and use this setting for another 5-10 hours and so on. Over time you will eventually get to a piont you are happy with. Be patient.
Software for Condor 3
Where to Buy
To purchase Condor software, go to Condor3. Go to the BUY page and register your new account. Then select and purchase the version of Condor you prefer.
Here is a overview of each version.
Condor3 (standard version) has all the nessasary features you need to begin soaring journey in a solo free flight or with a goup of mates online. It includes a selection of tow planes and eight different gliders to use. This version can be upgraded to the XC version at a later stage.
Condor3 XC (Cross Country). This version has the following additions advanced features for performance-oriented pilots:
- Bug wipers allow you to clean the insects from your wings in flight. This allows you to maintain the highest possible performance.
- Hawk variometer eliminates gust readings which can cause inaccurate thermal lift indication. This allows you to centre thermal lift faster to maximise your climb rate.
- Flarm displays information of other glider's altitude and climb rate and can alert you to collision avoidance. The XC option is intended for performance-oriented pilots who seek maximum performance either in online competitions or record flights.
- Live wind indicator shows the actual wind direction the glider is flying through. When close to a thermal this can assist the pilot as to when and in which direction to turn.
Follow the on-screen instructions through until you have purchased the Condor software version of your choice.
You will receive a download link via email which will direct you to where you can download the software. You will also receive a licence / activation key that you will need once you have installed Condor.
How to Install Condor 3
- The first time you run Condor you will be prompted to enter data for a new pilot.
- The pilot’s name will be used in multiplayer, replays and flight tracks.
- Your registration number appears on the plane’s fuselage and on the lower side of the left wing.
- Your competition number along with country flag appears on the plane’s vertical stabiliser.
- Then click OK to enter the main menu. On first run you must register your copy of Condor by clicking REGISTRATION and enter your License Key. (Keep your License Key safe in a secure place in case you should need to reinstall Condor at a later stage).
We recommend reading through the Condor3 Manual, usually located in your install directory eg: C:\Condor3\_Condor_3_Manual
Settings
Its important to open Condor3 / SETUP page, (in conjunction with the Condor3 Manual) and configue each section carefully, especially INPUT / ASSIGN CONTROLS.
Sceneries
Overview
Condor3 installation includes one scenery called Slovenia3. If you would like to fly in any another part of the world or join an online group flight, then you will need to download and install additional sceneries.
There are hundreds of great landscapes you can fly so we need to concider the the storage space you have available on your computer. Here is a quick example of the storage space requirements for just two.
AA3 = 120GB (the largest and most popular landscape)
Depending on how many scerneries you may wish to install, we recommend at least 1TB of available storage space. Installing another SSD drive on your PC specifically for scenery storage is a very cost effective solution.
Help from other Condor players is at the Condor Official Forums
Where do you get them ?You can use a dedicated tool; Condor Updater, or install them manually.
You will need to create a new account here; Create Account
Once you are registered, you unlock all the features of Condor Club
How to install ?Go to the Landscapes TAB where you will find detailed instructions on how you can download and install them.
Note; Instructions for installing landscapes to a secondary SSD drive is on our Discord Channel
Training Aids
This amazing feature allows pilots to see and understand how thermals work more effectively. They can be rather complex in structure and influenced by many environmental factors. Thermal Helpers can be enabled or disabled by the task setter depending on whether it’s a training, fun, group or completion flight.
For new pilots they are usually enabled by task setter, but the pilot can still choose to turn them on or off whilst flying. Glider pilots are constantly trying to visualize air movement in order to take advantage of rising air but sometimes we get low where thermals are weak and hard to find.
At this piont its better for the student to turn on thermal helpers so we can check and see what air movement is happening near you, rather than just landing or crashing out and not knowing WHY.
For intermediate pilots they maybe enabled for the pilot to use but with a preconfigured penalty, (set by the task setter) attached when activated.
For competitions they are simply disabled completely.
MulticrewTandem flights are used all the time for training in real gliding and in a simulator. An instructor and student can chat inflight using condors in game voice communication. Or your can take a passenger along just to enjoy the view.
GhostingCondor soaring simulator offers one of the best solutions to in flight training by use of ghosting in pilots from previously run tasks. Eg; If you competed in a competition task and did not do well you can simply downloads a flight track from another pilot that flew exceptionally well.
Setup the same task again in FREE Flight mode. Add there flight track to the ghost section in Fight Planner / Notam. You can then follow them and see exactly how they fly and what chioces they made. A full tutorial on how to do this is on VG Discord.
Spectator ModeSpectate! allows you to watch online Condor races. It is a way to do live commentary, watch a race or follow your favourite pilot. It is also a useful training tool for cross-country coaching
Flight AnalysisAfter completing a task you will see an option to review your flight. Its excellent to quickly analyse and easily identify the places you flew well but also where you could have improved.
Multiplayer
Fly with other Pilots
Multiplayer allows you to enjoy flights in a group for fun or enter competitions with other pilots via a LAN or Internet connection. You will appear in exactly the same weather environment and everything happens in real time.
You can join as either a pilot flying your own glider, or in spectator mode. Spectator mode lets you watch others fly and learn from them. You can create your own task and host it easily. You can even join a dual seater glider with another pilot.
Internet FlightsNote: Make sure you have the correct landscape installed for that server as indicated in the serverlist. More on this later
Join as Spectator
Joining a flight in spectator mode allows you to monitor a glider pilot in various camera views. You can even sit in the cockpit with them. By selecting the spectator table, you can choose to follow any pilot in that server.
Multicrew
A new feature to Condor3 is the option for dual pilots to fly in the same 2-seater glider. This is perfect for training pilots as it is in real life with a student and instructor where only one pilot can fly the glider at any one time. The controls of the glider can be passed back and forth. Simply connect locally over a LAN, or remotely over the internet. For internet operation it's vital that both connections are high speed and have low ping values.
Host a Flight
If you wish to host and join the same flight, simply open Condor3 and then Multiplayer / HOST. This way you will be flying the task and you will have server hosting admin privileges (via text commands). Hosting a flight for others to join can require a high amount of bandwidth. This is usually not a problem on LAN connections. To host any internet game or simulator, be sure to have a fast and reliable ISP connection, especially if you expect a lot (42 of pilots) to join.
Standalone Server
Dedicated server is a standalone executable and is a part of Condor installation. The purpose of dedicated server is for a person to host Condor multiplayer games on a standalone PC but does not necessarily have to join the flight. A good example of how this method would be used is a team of people that organise and host competitions.
Communication
Condor3 Multiplayer has an inbuilt “radio” communication feature that lets you chat with the other pilots in the server. Alternatively, you can use third-party software like TeamSpeak, Discord. Its good practice to setup your comms as push-to-talk rather than voice activated in order to avoid unintentional background noises while flying.
Join our Flights
Virtual Gliding Server Join Time
(Australian Eastern Standard Time = 7.00pm)
How to join our online flights
- Open Condor3 and check what version of you have. Then close..
- Visit either of the following Serverlists
- In the list of servers, you will find Virtual Gliding
- Your condor3 version has to be the same as what’s listed.
- Check Status is on Joining Enabled.
- Check you have the listed landscape, installed.
- Click JOIN button.
- Condor3 will start to Multiplayer window where click join again.
- The server join time is usually about 20mins.
- Once join time has finished you can only join as a spectator.
Current list of Landscapes used by Virtual Gliding
- AA3 [0.6]
- Cascade Range (2.0)
- Chistchurch [v1.1]
- LakeKeepitC3
- New_Zealand (0.8)
- Pumalin_Park3 [1.0]
- Slovenia3 [1.01]
- Tasmania [v1.1]
- Transandino3 [1.0]
- West_Balkans3 [1.0]
NOTE: Because we are Australian based we will occasionally use sceneries from the Oceanic region..
Links
Condor Utilities
Condorutill.fr has a suite of useful utilities specific to Condor 3 gliding
Condor Help
Comprehensive and always growing Wiki for Help with Condor 3
